TY - JOUR
T1 - Unrealised economic opportunities in remote Indigenous communities
T2 - Case studies from northern Australia
AU - Sangha, Kamaljit
AU - Duvert, Adèle
AU - Archer, Ricky
AU - Russell-Smith, Jeremy
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Author(s)
PY - 2020/1
Y1 - 2020/1
N2 - Building on unique Indigenous advantages for people living in remote areas, this study offers insights for innovative land-based economic opportunities across northern Australia. These advantages—outside the mainstream economics—include peoples’ abilities to manage land and knowledge of ecosystems, culture, traditions/ceremonies which directly contribute towards peoples’ health, social relations, provisioning of a safe and secure environment, and learning constituents of well-being. To demonstrate, two representative remote communities, Maningrida and Borroloola in the Northern Territory, are used for revealing uncaptured, but valid, opportunities which, if realized, could help enhance Indigenous well-being—a much-needed agenda for the Australian Government. Moreover, innovative land-based opportunities will potentially save ~$49 million/yr of government’s welfare costs. This study offers a detailed analysis of the existing socio-economic situation of the selected communities, outlines potential land-based economic opportunities, and advocates for a shift in policy planning from viewing remote communities as a problem to realising advantages of their unique prospects to develop the north. Applying an integrated approach to Indigenous development for supporting new economies can lead to diversification of north’s land sector which to date has been predominantly used for beef production causing threats to fragile ecosystems and hence their services to people living in the area.
AB - Building on unique Indigenous advantages for people living in remote areas, this study offers insights for innovative land-based economic opportunities across northern Australia. These advantages—outside the mainstream economics—include peoples’ abilities to manage land and knowledge of ecosystems, culture, traditions/ceremonies which directly contribute towards peoples’ health, social relations, provisioning of a safe and secure environment, and learning constituents of well-being. To demonstrate, two representative remote communities, Maningrida and Borroloola in the Northern Territory, are used for revealing uncaptured, but valid, opportunities which, if realized, could help enhance Indigenous well-being—a much-needed agenda for the Australian Government. Moreover, innovative land-based opportunities will potentially save ~$49 million/yr of government’s welfare costs. This study offers a detailed analysis of the existing socio-economic situation of the selected communities, outlines potential land-based economic opportunities, and advocates for a shift in policy planning from viewing remote communities as a problem to realising advantages of their unique prospects to develop the north. Applying an integrated approach to Indigenous development for supporting new economies can lead to diversification of north’s land sector which to date has been predominantly used for beef production causing threats to fragile ecosystems and hence their services to people living in the area.
KW - Economic opportunities
KW - Ecosystem services opportunities
KW - Indigenous peoples
KW - Policy planning
KW - Remote communities
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85112642388&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ssaho.2020.100093
DO - 10.1016/j.ssaho.2020.100093
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85112642388
SN - 2590-2911
VL - 2
SP - 1
EP - 10
JO - Social Sciences & Humanities Open
JF - Social Sciences & Humanities Open
IS - 1
M1 - 100093
ER -